Games and Fun!

Hi everyone! My name is Erland, I studied for a bachelor's degree in "Vernepleie" at Molde University College. In connection with the study, I went to Tanzania for 3 months as part of a field practice. We experienced the school system in primary and secondary school for special needs children. In primary they had a lot of different classes for deaf, blind and visually impaired, autism and kids with intellectual disabilities. The secondary school was an all-inclusive school where kids with different disabilities all shared the same classroom and learned together. It was fascinating watching how so many of the children and teachers knew sign language, and especially how the children facilitated for each other.

I was very happy with all the different activities, games, songs and dances we were able to teach and play with the children. I contributed by making pieces for the Ludo board, rules written in English for the teachers to read and understand as well. I also had several days where I sat down with the children after they were done with classes, where I played and taught them different games. We played Ludo, connect four, Uno, hangman and "Peasant's chess" on the blackboard. I was lucky to have one of the teachers join me when playing ludo, we played with the deaf class, and she was able to explain it a lot better than me. But later I was also able to teach some of the deaf children by using the deaf sign language alphabet combined with Kiswahili and a bit more advanced sign language. It was great fun and gave me a sense of accomplishment as well, being able to communicate with deaf children from another country. The language barrier is big so to say, but with just a bit of knowledge you can go a long way.

The children appreciate everything so much, and in the autism and children with disabilities classes I had full days where I just drew different animals on the blackboard. A lot of the kids tried to copy and draw the same animals, and it was a day filled with joy. These children are so great and loving, and they deserve too feel loved as well. I already wish to return and can't wait to go back to Tanzania in the future and see how they all are.